1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a networked game system that includes a plurality of game apparatuses and a server apparatus, executes a networked game in which a game progresses according to a player's operation, and allows data to be exchanged between game apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the spread of portable game apparatuses having a communication connection function, in order to improve amusement of a game, an exchange of data related to a character appearing in a game or data related to an acquired item is being performed between game apparatuses. For example, when users who carry a game apparatus set to a communication mode in a bag pass each other on the street, although a game apparatus is not specially operated, data related to a character or an item can be automatically exchanged by making two game apparatuses come into contact with each other within a wireless communication allowance distance.
As a game program using such a communication function, for example, a game program that controls movement of a player character in a virtual space, acquires map information representing a specific region in a virtual space through data communication, and performs control such that a player character can move to a region corresponding to the map information has been discussed (see JPA 2010-94525).
Meanwhile, in recent years, networked games in which a plurality of users simultaneously play a single game via a computer network have been widely spread. For example, in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), a game progresses such that many players clear various problems while cooperating with one another in the same virtual world. Even in the MMORPG, an item or the like acquired during a game is exchanged between players. However, typically, it is usual to recognize a counterpart player by a chat or the like and then exchange an item or the like.
In the networked game such as the MMORPG, data such as an item is exchangeable between players. However, typically, players are already in a relationship of a friend or an acquaintance, and thus an exchange of data is performed after a counterpart is recognized. Therefore, an exchange of data with a player that accidently passes in a virtual world is not performed, and neither contingency nor unpredictability intervenes in a data exchange between players or characters.
The present invention is directed to provide a networked game system of high interest in which a contingency and/ or unpredictability intervenes in a data exchange between players in a networked game, and thus players feel as if data is exchanged by accidently passing in a virtual world.